If Everyone Cared
by Silvan Arrow
Summary: A romantic night under the stars makes Vincent realize just how lucky he is to have Yuffie in his life in the midst of a world filled with sorrow. Oneshot songfic with If Everyone Cared by Nickelback. LOTS of Yuffentine fluff. Please read and review!


Author's Note: Okay, so this one-shot has been sitting on my computer for a while, so I thought I would post it and see what other people thought about it. I absolutely adore the Yuffentine pairing, and when I heard this song by Nickelback, I just had to write this. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII or any of its characters. Square Enix owns it all! I also do not own the song "If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback.

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If Everyone Cared

If anyone had asked Vincent Valentine 30 years ago what he thought he would be doing at this very moment in time, he would probably have said something about sleeping in his coffin, still plagued by his incessant nightmares, or he would have already died, unable to bear the weight of his sins anymore. If that person had told him that instead he would be sitting under a tree atop a grassy hillside on a peaceful summer's night with the love of his life, he would have laughed and called the person crazy. No one could replace Lucrecia in his heart. He had already experienced the pain of losing his love once, and he wouldn't dare risk another heartbreak.

But someone **had** stolen his heart a second time.

_From underneath the trees, we watch the sky  
Confusing stars for satellites  
I never dreamed that you'd be mine  
But here we are, we're here tonight  
_

The young woman in his arms stirred slightly, shifting to a more comfortable position between his legs. She snuggled back into his chest with a contented sigh. Vincent subconsciously tightened his grip around her waist ever so slightly as a gentle breeze rustled the grass and fluttered through the leaves of the old oak tree that the two lovers currently sat beneath. A few strands of brunette woman's short hair blew into her face. Vincent reached up with his real hand to affectionately brush them out of her face. He leaned his head against hers and breathed in the sweet smell of flowers that he always associated with her.

Right now life couldn't be any better for Vincent. He had his whole world in his arms, and he wouldn't trade it for anything. She didn't care about his inner demons and never once thought of him as the monster he claimed to be. She never once flinched at the sight of his metal left arm, nor did she hold his sinful past against him. Her presence alone was a healing salve for his heart. Not even Chaos could disturb his thoughts tonight.

_Singing Amen, I, I'm alive  
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive_

"…Vinnie?" the woman asked softly, drawing him out of his thoughts. She tilted her head back and regarded him curiously with those stormy gray eyes that he adored so much.

"Yes Yuffie?" he replied just as softly in his rich, baritone voice.

"You're even quieter than usual. Is something wrong?"

"Not at all, my dear," Vincent replied, flashing a rare smile. "I am simply enjoying being here with you." He leaned down and kissed Yuffie on the cheek, making her blush. He always thought she looked cute when she blushed.

Yuffie laid her head back against Vincent's chest and glanced down at the two arms that held her so lovingly. One real, one golden. Vincent's metal arm never intimidated her in the past, and now she actually felt safer knowing that he had a metal arm. She leaned back and resumed watching the stars, something Vincent knew she did frequently, especially after the death of her mother. Suddenly she pointed towards a particular group of stars and exclaimed excitedly, "Hey, Vinnie, look! That one looks like Leviathan!"

Vincent rested his chin on her shoulder and looked at where she was pointing. He had to admit, the stars she was looking at did resemble the body of the great sea serpent. He chuckled slightly, earning him a playful glare from Yuffie. Even though Yuffie was now twenty, she could still have fun like a child. Her personality represented everything he wasn't, but that's what he loved about her. She completed him, like the missing half to his soul.

'What have I done to earn such happiness?' he thought silently. Why couldn't more people be happy like him? Surely there were others who had lived much better lives and deserved to be loved much more than a monster like him, but here he was, with a woman who loved him despite all his faults.

_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_And I'm singing_

_Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive  
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive_

Yes, today was a good day to be alive.

_And in the air the fireflies  
Our only light in paradise  
We'll show the world they were wrong  
And teach them all to sing along_

Yuffie's eyes lit up when she saw fireflies began to flicker in and out among the grass. She had always loved to chase the small glowing insects as a little girl. She would catch as many as she could, place them in a jar, and then show them proudly to her mother. The two would then release the fireflies together and watch as they once again lit up the yard like sparkling glitter. "Oooh! Vinnie, look! Fireflies! Let's go see how many we can catch!"

"But, Yuffie, where will you keep them?" Vincent asked, a teasing smirk playing at one corner of his mouth.

"Who said anything about keeping them? I just wanna catch them!" Her mind made up, she pried herself loose of Vincent's arms and ran out into the clearing, chasing the fireflies and trying unsuccessfully to catch one before it flickered out of sight, grinning and laughing the whole time. Vincent never tired of hearing her musical laugh. He didn't try to suppress the broad smile that dominated his face while he watched Yuffie dance around in the grass, the way the full moon cast its gentle silver beams upon the top of the hill and alighted on her face. The sight literally took his breath away.

_Singing Amen, I, I'm alive  
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive  
(I'm alive)_

"I caught one!" The elated exclamation once again brought Vincent out of his thoughts, drawing his attention to the ninja who skipped back to where he sat, her hands cupped as if protecting a treasure more precious than gold. She knelt down in front of him and lifted one hand, revealing a single firefly. The tiny insect crawled to the tip of her finger, flickered once, and flew off once again into the night. "Come on, Vinnie! It can't be much fun sitting here by yourself!" He let her grab his hands and pull him to his feet and into the clearing where she had been chasing fireflies a few minutes ago.

Vincent couldn't think of a more romantic or fitting setting than this. He had had an ulterior motive for bringing Yuffie here tonight, and he was determined not to let such a golden opportunity slip past.

_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died  
_

_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

"Isn't it beautiful, Vincent?" Yuffie asked, looking up at the stars again. "I've always loved—"

"Yuffie."

The change of his tone of voice was so sudden that she turned around and looked at him worriedly. "What's wrong, Vinnie?" Her eyes betrayed the concern she felt right now. Why did he look so serious right now?

Without warning, Vincent lowered himself to one knee and gently took Yuffie's left hand in his real right one while his golden claw produced a small velvet box from the folds of his scarlet cape. Yuffie's free hand flew to her chest now that she knew what was coming next. The box opened to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen. Vincent tried hard not to choke on his next words: "Yuffie Kisaragi, will you…marry me?"

Tears of joy sprang unbidden to Yuffie's eyes. She managed a weak smile and flung herself into Vincent's arms, nearly knocking both of them back onto the ground. He had been anticipating an emotional reaction like that. She held onto him with a death grip and mumbled into his shoulder, "Of course I'll marry you! I didn't think you'd ever ask!"

Vincent managed to pull her into a standing position and slipped the engagement ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. He held her close and whispered in her ear, "You've just made me the happiest man in the world." He dipped his head down, and Yuffie met him halfway in a passionate, loving kiss. When they had to part for air, Yuffie reached up and undid the buckles that held his cape in place around his neck, letting the tattered garment fall to the ground so she could see his whole face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, more deeply this time. Vincent wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her against his body, moaning softly as he felt her small frame melt into his.

_And as we lie beneath the stars  
We realize how small we are  
If they could love like you and me  
Imagine what the world could be_

When they parted a second time, Vincent lay down on the soft grass and pulled Yuffie down beside him. He lay on his back and held her against his side as she rested her head on his chest. "I love you, Yuffie," he whispered, his warm breath tickling her cheek.

"I love you too, Vinnie," she replied just as softly, letting her eyelids slide closed.

_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died  
When nobody died..._

_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

Another warm, relaxing breeze blew across the clearing, carrying a few stray leaves and the scent of flowers. Vincent let his gaze travel upwards toward the clear night sky. The stars really did look so comforting and inviting tonight. He knew that they should probably head back soon, but he didn't want to ruin the moment just yet. 'I haven't done anything sensible this whole evening, so why start now?' he thought amusedly. So he closed his eyes and let peaceful sleep overtake his body as the fireflies continued to flicker around him.

_We'd see the day, we'd see the day  
When nobody died  
We'd see the day, we'd see the day  
When nobody died  
We'd see the day when nobody died_

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Author's Note: So how did you guys like it? I know Vincent was probably really OOC, but I really couldn't keep him in character and still make this come out right. Please review!


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